HF 048 Rune Taken Hostage
10:12:04 PM Josh: You start walking...you have that bonus to passive perception, right? 10:12:36 PM Rune: Rune does! 10:12:48 PM Josh: Ok, good to know. 10:14:47 PM Josh: As you walk, you're about to put out your hand for a taxi when you feel hard, scaly arms grab you. 10:15:02 PM Josh: They go for your mouth and hands, roll acorbatics or athletics. 10:15:59 PM Rune: Rune screams. 10:16:30 PM Josh: The hands wrap around you before you can. "Be quiet." 10:16:38 PM Josh: It's Malayssa, the dragonborn thief. 10:16:49 PM Josh: Malayssa drags you into an alley. 10:17:14 PM Josh: Malayssa: "Now, I'm going to let your mouth go, and you're gonna be quiet, or I am emptying your guts right here. Got it?" 10:17:29 PM Rune: Rune nods. 10:17:59 PM Josh: Malayssa keeps her hold on your arms but lets go of your mouth. 10:18:15 PM Josh: Malayssa: "Sorry about this. Boss says to bring one of you to him." 10:18:35 PM Rune: For what? 10:18:55 PM Josh: Malayssa: "Says one of you magic folk will know how to fix him." 10:19:28 PM Rune: ... I probably don't, but if someone's in trouble I'll at least check. All you had to do was ask. 10:20:32 PM Josh: Malayssa: "Yeah, well, last time you guys saw me, you almost outed me to that big shiny oaf. Ok...now...if you get sick...try to throw up away from me." 10:21:11 PM Rune: Ugh. I do have a weak stomach. 10:22:11 PM Josh: The world spins around you for a bit, and, suddenly...you're in a cave. 10:22:40 PM Rune: Rune was warned, and kept her eyes closed in an effort to not hork. 10:23:16 PM Josh: You manage it. 10:23:24 PM Josh: But you do feel your stomach turn a bit. 10:23:40 PM Rune: Urrrghh. 10:23:43 PM Josh: In front of you, you see another familiar face. Leo, the stupid elf who lost questions to Creed, three times. 10:24:09 PM Rune: All right, what's wrong? 10:24:21 PM Josh: Leo: "Boss needs help." 10:24:34 PM Rune: I gathered that. 10:24:42 PM Rune: Well let me see, then. 10:25:47 PM Josh: A figure steps out from the shadows. An older man, burly, badly worn by time and life. His face is scrunched, to a point, where his right eye seems to be permanently swollen shut, and he walks with a knotty, old cane. 10:26:15 PM Josh: Man: "I fear that what afflicts me isn't quite so visible. Mal, let the poor girl go, she ain't going anywhere." 10:26:23 PM Josh: Mal releases you. 10:26:45 PM Rune: Rune turns around and throws up on her. 10:27:03 PM Josh: Mal :"GAH! SERIOUSLY?!?" 10:27:06 PM Josh: Leo chuckles. 10:27:23 PM Rune: ... sorry... I was flying earlier. 10:27:32 PM Rune: Do you have any water? 10:27:59 PM Rune: Rune spits a couple of times and wipes her face off. 10:28:43 PM Josh: The man holds out his waterskin to you. 10:30:30 PM Rune: Rune rinses and spits a couple more times. 10:30:42 PM Rune: All right. Now who are you, and what's the trouble? 10:31:17 PM Josh: Man: "My name's Taluk. I lead this might band we call the Gang of Cloaks." 10:31:40 PM Josh: Taluk: "And I am dying." 10:31:59 PM Rune: Of? 10:32:45 PM Josh: Taluk: "Of being old and living a life of unhealthy choices. Heh heh." 10:33:03 PM Rune: Well I can't help with that. 10:34:02 PM Josh: Taluk: "The dying ain't the problem there, missy. The problem is I was a dang fool about it before." 10:34:20 PM Josh: Taluk pulls up a sleeve and shows you a marking on his forearm. 10:35:13 PM Josh: Taluk: "Know what this is?" 10:35:38 PM Rune: No. 10:35:44 PM Rune: What is it? 10:37:48 PM Josh: Taluk: "This is my signature. My signature on a contract with a foul and hateful beast, the likes of which I wish I'd never met." 10:38:13 PM Rune: Oh, you're a warlock. 10:38:23 PM Josh: Taluk: "I am that." 10:38:27 PM Rune: What beast? 10:39:50 PM Josh: Taluk: "A devil. A creature of hell by the name Rumnoch. Offered me power and time for something I once thought so pointless and only now realize is all there is." 10:39:59 PM Josh: Taluk: "My soul." 10:40:26 PM Rune: Well that wasn't very smart. 10:40:39 PM Rune: What do you want me to do about it? I'm not a demonologist. 10:41:23 PM Josh: Taluk: "No, but I know that one of you was once like me...and now he ain't." 10:42:16 PM Rune: Yes. If a patron loses its power the bond can snap. It almost killed him, incidentally, and then his digestive system went backwards for a while. 10:42:28 PM Rune: But I don't know how to depower a demon. 10:42:39 PM Josh: Taluk: "Hurm...now, that is a disappointment." 10:43:03 PM Rune: I could try to do some research on it. The Guild might have some information. 10:44:01 PM Rune: But I'm a wizard. I don't do that kind of magic and it's not my area of expertise. None of the others know much about it either, not even the boy who used to be a warlock. He didn't even want the pact, and how he lost it had nothing to do with him at all. 10:44:43 PM Josh: Taluk: "Now, you see...I do believe you...but it's darn funny." 10:45:02 PM Rune: Probably because I'm telling the truth. 10:45:10 PM Rune: Have you tried bargaining with it? 10:45:25 PM Josh: Taluk: "Oh yes, I even offered him these." 10:45:42 PM Josh: Taluk pulls out two large eggs, just like Creed's and Anna's...except they're yellow and blue. 10:45:59 PM Josh: Taluk: "Funny...I thought he'd've wanted at least one of these puppies." 10:46:16 PM Rune: Most people would. ... people are awfully stupid, I find. 10:46:45 PM Rune: Your best bet is probably throwing yourself on the guild's mercy. 10:47:00 PM Rune: If you tell them a good enough sob story you can probably get the lot of them researching on your behalf. 10:47:34 PM Josh: Taluk: "...I think I had a different idea in mind, actually." 10:47:50 PM Josh: Taluk: "You see, this blue one got to talking to me, and it told me all sorts of useful things." 10:48:33 PM Rune: You should never, never trust objects with a mind. 10:48:45 PM Rune: Just so you know. 10:49:06 PM Josh: Taluk: "Now, I know that...but I am a desperate man. And when it says I can pass the curse on to someone else...well...I start to listen." 10:49:25 PM Josh: This comes into your mind. Quill is sending with you. "Rune, where are you? Are you okay?" 10:51:06 PM Rune: Taluk, passing warlockism onto me is a bad idea, and I'm positive Malayssa and Leo here don't want it either. Why are you hiding out in a cave, anyway? That's daft. 10:51:24 PM Rune: Rune Sends that last paragraph. 10:51:56 PM Josh: ((Ok)) 10:52:46 PM Josh: Taluk: "Well, we was staying in a nice little place in town, afore Malayssa got caught hiding out." 10:52:56 PM Josh: Malayssa: "Stupid purple demon chick." 10:54:18 PM Rune: Creed can be kind of difficult at times, yes. 10:54:28 PM Josh: Leo: "Heh. Smelly butt." 10:55:34 PM Rune: Part of the issue is that forcing warlockism onto someone else is definitely an evil act, so the devils would get you anyway. 10:56:16 PM Josh: Taluk: "Maybe. But who knows, these days. All I know is if I don't, I am definitely going." 10:56:38 PM Rune: You're definitely going with either of those options, frankly. 10:56:48 PM Josh: ...roll persuasion. 10:56:53 PM Rune: You need a third way. 10:57:32 PM Josh: Taluk: "Sometimes, there just ain't any third ways, missy. That's the harshness of the world." 10:57:55 PM Rune: That's the demon talking, probably. 10:58:11 PM Josh: Leo: "...Taluk...I don't--" 10:58:16 PM Rune: Wait. How does it work? 10:58:19 PM Josh: Taluk: "QUIET BOY!" 10:58:38 PM Rune: Does someone have to consent to take the pact, or can you put it on them? ... do they have to be sentient? 10:59:18 PM Josh: Taluk: "...it needs a soul." 10:59:58 PM Josh: Taluk: "The egg didn't say anything bout any consent." 11:00:50 PM Rune: Usually that's required to transfer a pact. 11:01:11 PM Rune: At least the other boy's was like that. Maybe the egg doesn't know better. 11:01:39 PM Josh: Taluk: "...you're sure of this?" 11:01:43 PM Rune: Oh yes. 11:02:00 PM Rune: We had a very annoying archfey after him to transfer the pact but he always said no. 11:02:05 PM Rune: So the archfey couldn't do anything. 11:02:36 PM Josh: Taluk: "...well, that does throw a monkey wrench into things, don't it?" 11:03:09 PM Josh: Taeral sends you again: "I need more details, anything. Taeral can't find you in the city." 11:03:10 PM Rune: Well, you can try if you like, but they do call it a pact, not a gift or a transferrable bond or something, you know. 11:03:57 PM Josh: Taluk: "...Mal, put a call to her buddies." 11:04:11 PM Josh: Taluk: "Maybe we can strike a bargain." 11:04:29 PM Josh: It's then that Mal pulls out your AEGIS medal. 11:04:51 PM Rune: Rune sends and speaks. "None of my friends will trade their souls to you either, not for me and not for the yellow and blue eggs you have either." 11:05:20 PM Rune: ... they're not daft. 11:05:36 PM Josh: Mal: "...S'not working, boss." 11:05:42 PM Josh: And she tosses you back your medal. 11:05:56 PM Rune: Rune takes it and looks at it. "... are we on another plane? 11:06:17 PM Josh: Taluk: "No...we're just in the desert." 11:06:34 PM Josh: ((You would know, that's probably still out of the medals' usual range)) 11:06:45 PM Rune: Oh. ... we must just be out of range, then. Bother. 11:07:13 PM Josh: Taluk: "Well, this whole scheme's gone sideways faster than a rabbit on ice." 11:07:36 PM Rune: Which is why you ought to have stopped by and asked for help like a sensible person instead of making me throw up on Malayssa. 11:07:52 PM Rune: I haven't got any of my books here. 11:08:00 PM Josh: Malayssa: "Yeah, I could've done without that." 11:08:17 PM Rune: Have you tried a lawyer? 11:08:46 PM Josh: Taluk: "Yeah, turns out most of them work for the other side. The ones that don't couldn't help, neither." 11:09:02 PM Rune: Then the guild is the best option. 11:09:15 PM Josh: Taluk: "The guild will kill me." 11:09:25 PM Rune: No, the Witchhunters would kill you. 11:09:55 PM Rune: The guild would tut-tut at you, sit you on a nice couch somewhere and then wander into the library. 11:10:48 PM Josh: ...roll persuasion, again. 11:14:00 PM Josh: Taluk seems really hesitant. 11:14:08 PM Josh: Leo: "...you really think they'd help him?" 11:14:57 PM Rune: Honestly, it is a bit of a risk, but it's not nearly as much of a risk as doing something worse than murder to a guard. 11:15:19 PM Rune: You know how the guard is about things like that. It'll all be shoot to kill, all three of you and any of your associates. 11:16:17 PM Josh: Malayssa: "I'm not scared to die." 11:16:39 PM Rune: That's the regular guard. 11:16:47 PM Rune: There are also the witchhunters. 11:17:07 PM Rune: They have a really full prison. 11:17:33 PM Josh: Taluk: "...ok...you're right." 11:17:50 PM Rune: Look, if you want, I can go with you to the guild house, that might help. 11:18:13 PM Josh: Rune, you see Mal going for her daggers. 11:18:16 PM Rune: But you seriously are going to have to do something about that soul issue, because if you don't you're going to be just exactly in the same position anyway. 11:19:10 PM Rune: STOP. We don't need to kill each other over this! 11:19:23 PM Josh: Taluk: "Mal! Down!" 11:20:22 PM Josh: You hear Quill and Creed come in over the badges. "Rune?!? Rune?!?" 11:20:59 PM Rune: Oh, there they are. Can I answer them, please? 11:21:23 PM Josh: Taluk looks from Leo to Mal. "...give them a chance to get away, then call them back." 11:21:29 PM Josh: Mal: "That's not--!" 11:21:38 PM Josh: Taluk shoots her a look and she quiets. 11:22:34 PM Rune: I just want to know if the dragons are with them, because if they're coming to save me they might not know you're not going to hurt me. 11:23:32 PM Josh: Taluk nods. "Ok, give them a warning. Tell them to land, and we will meet with them." 11:23:37 PM Rune: (("We have... powerful friends.")) 11:23:44 PM Rune: All right. 11:23:51 PM Josh: (( :) )) 11:24:18 PM Rune: Rune answers on the badge. "I'm all right. Don't let the dragons start burning everything down." 11:25:52 PM Rune: Rune adds "There's a person here with a problem involving a demon pact, they just wanted me to help him. I think we've worked out what to do, but maybe you'll have some ideas. Careful, they're all armed and kind of jumpy, but I don't think it's going to turn to a fight." 11:26:37 PM Josh: Skype's not letting me copy that. Can you copy that into the main chat. 11:27:27 PM Josh: Tell them not to come until I say. 11:28:06 PM Rune: Why, what difference does it make? 11:28:24 PM Rune: Rune dutifully relays: They don't want you to come until Taluk, the boss, says. 11:28:33 PM Josh: Taluk: "Cause these kids ain't going with me." 11:28:42 PM Rune: Oh, that makes sense. 11:29:02 PM Rune: There's no reason to put them in danger too. That's very self-sacrificing of you, that should help. 11:29:15 PM Josh: Mal's tearing up a bit. She looks...not just sad, but angry. Leo seems to understand, but doesn't like it. 11:29:40 PM Josh: Taluk: "...what about these?" He refers to the eggs. 11:29:53 PM Rune: Well... I suppose I can take them for now. 11:30:06 PM Josh: Taluk nods. "Seems fair." 11:30:37 PM Rune: They're horribly dangerous, though. You know, if you'd used one a lot, it literally could have turned into a shadow dragon or a strangulating scarf. 11:30:43 PM Rune: ... we just found that out today, by the way. 11:30:58 PM Josh: Taluk: "...in that case...is this a bad sign?" 11:31:07 PM Josh: He turns the blue egg around to reveal a large crack. 11:31:47 PM Rune: ... well, I'm worried. Just ... let's not use it anymore. 11:32:19 PM Josh: Taluk nods. Mal and Leo are heading down a tunnel by this point. 11:32:33 PM Rune: Rune pockets the eggs. 11:32:36 PM Rune: Rune waves at them. 11:35:07 PM Rune: You really are going to have to try to be a good person. At first it probably won't count much because you'll be doing it out of self-interest, but after a while it'll start to feel really good and you'll get in the habit, and that's when it will really help. 11:35:56 PM Josh: Taluk: "...maybe." 11:36:19 PM Rune: Grandmother said it's better than the rush you get from almost anything else. 11:36:53 PM Josh: Taluk: "Kid, I spent a good portion of my life helping others. There ain't no rush. Just pain." 11:37:13 PM Rune: Maybe it's different for succubi, then. I don't know. 11:37:39 PM Josh: Taluk: "I dated a succubi once." 11:38:11 PM Rune: Was she nice? We have a couple of Erinyes living with us. 11:39:17 PM Josh: Taluk: "She was...highly unpredictable." 11:39:37 PM Josh: Taluk: "But when she was nice, she was very nice." 11:40:19 PM Rune: My grandmother has kind of a temper sometimes. And I don't think she taught me how to swear properly. 11:41:11 PM Josh: Taluk: "...how do you swear?" 11:41:58 PM Rune: You know, just the normal way. "Heaven" and "angels" and "holy" and sometimes "sacred" if something is really bad. 11:42:20 PM Josh: Taluk starts to laugh. 11:42:38 PM Rune: It's not that bad, is it? 11:43:19 PM Josh: Taluk: "Well...it's unconventional, I'd say. Not the sort of four letter words that'd get my hind quarters smacked as a boy." 11:43:39 PM Rune: Well, "bless" has five letters technically. I suppose "holy" has four. 11:45:37 PM Josh: Taluk: "I think if I ever said "bless" in my home, my ma would've thrown a parade." 11:46:07 PM Rune: People seem to use "fuck" as a swear, but that doesn't make any kind of sense. Sex is supposed to be--oh, hullo. 11:57:33 PM Josh: You notice he keeps looking over where Leo and Mal went and seems to be making sure they don't come back.